


The Labyrinth's Storyteller

by TheMarchHare



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Inspired: Pandora Hearts, OOC! Tsuna, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-07
Updated: 2013-04-06
Packaged: 2017-11-23 23:58:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/627971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMarchHare/pseuds/TheMarchHare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Tsuna's hidden pasts start to rise to the surface; there is no place for remorse. The Labyrinth wants its rightful prisoner back, the scientists want to terminate the experiments, and the only way out is to get to Checkmate. Will he be able to checkmate before time runs out? Or will he lose his head to the Queen?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chain 0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **D** ISCLAIMER: I do not own **K** atekyo **H** itman **R** eborn.  
>  **I** nspired **B** y: **P** andora **H** earts – _J_ un _M_ ochizuki  
>  **Slight AU-**
> 
>   
>  Tsunayoshi is _NOT_ Vongola Decimo.
> 
> Natsu is Tsuna's twin brother. His appearance will be like Tsuna in HDWM.
> 
> Giotto and his Guardians' - Vongola Decimo and Guardians (in training).
> 
> Natsu is head of CEDEF (in training) with his guardians (Tsuna's guardians)
> 
> __  
> **Rated T-**  
> 
> 
>   
> _Blood_   
> _Cuss/Swear/Curse words_   
> _OOC_   
> 
> 
> **KEY for those who gets confused:**
> 
> "Speaking"
> 
> 'Thought'
> 
> _Memory_

 

 

 

  
****Prolouge** **

* * *

####  **Location** : Unknown Location, Italy

####  **Time** : Approx. Four Hundred years before Present Day (1613's)

 

 

 

...

A scream echoed through the mansion. People in gowns and suits were running frantically, looking for an exit, but unfortunately they never made it as they all got slashed down without hesitation. There were begging, praying to a higher power, or outright hysterically crying.

Black hooded-cloaked figures moved effortlessly through the halls and corridors, dodging all the bodies littered on the grounds like ragged dolls. The once elegant walls are now splattered with crimson. The maroon velvet carpet floors were quickly drenched with blood, and every step one took, one could smell the decaying and hear the 'squish' of the wet carpet. Heads, limbs, and bodies were everywhere, some were still alive after the brutal slaying yet quieted as Death took them in toll.

There were no words exchanged, every figure seemingly know what the others are thinking and quickly act upon it. They all have silver sabers in hand and ready to cut down more bodies. Their cloaks have the insignia of an 'Aconite' embroidered on the back with swirls making the shape. Fresh purple Aconite are pinned onto their collars like a symbol.

They all have one order and one order only-

' _Let nobody in this city survive. Slay all men. Women and children.'_

They will follow it without hesitation.

_A crying woman in a red gown, cradling a baby near her chest to muffled its cries. But it didn't do much good, as a few seconds later, her head was separated from the body. The baby was silenced with a quick slit. There was no remorse behind the killing._

Even if they knew it was wrong. Even if they knew that this won't end well. They will still do it. They swore allegiances to him.

_A little girl and boy ran through the mansion, looking for their parents, after playing in the garden. They were giggling and scared, because they weren't supposed too. They walked through the door, ready for a scolding; instead found the foyer covered in fallen bodies. The girl screamed and the boy whimpered as he saw his mother laying there with her head lay a few feet away from her body. The jewelries on the bodies shined in the artificial lights._

_The boy motioned to the girl to get out of there, but before they could move from the spot, they were also cut down, in similar manner like the adults._

Because after all, they are merely puppets to the King.

...

* * *

...

On the outer part of the mansion, nearing the gate was a little boy about the age of four, covered in blood, and dressed in a black vest and slacks. He has a tattoo on the right side of his face- a red diamond, intricate swirls making the shape. He has puffy brown hair, quite adorable for someone his age. He also has red eyes with slit pupils, but even if it was strange, it still radiates innocence. The little boy sat on his knees, watching the mansion – _his_   _home_ \- going up in orange-red blazing flames. The boy muffled some sobs, afraid of getting found by the cloaked figures.

As he got up and started walking out the gate, a synchronized 'thump' surrounds him. The boy looked up and see five figures surrounding him in a circle, with a slight gap between each one, though not big enough to escape through. The man faced him stated with his hand on the boy's head-

" _The price of your regret… is your very being…!"_

The world turned dark for the boy. All he could hear was a grandfather clock chiming and time spinning out of control. He was quickly absorbed into the darkness. He could smell the fire, burning flesh, and iron. He landed with a thump on a marble floor, in a very dark space. There was no light. The smell of burning disappeared, there was no scent. Not even the smell of disinfectant.

A single question revolved around his thoughts-

"Where am I?"

A chuckled broke the silence. It wasn't a kind or 'finding something funny' chuckled. It was more of the sadistic chuckled, like it knows something more than you do.

"W-who's there?!" The boy asked the darkness. The chuckled disappeared with a slight swift movement. He could feel his hair moving with the artificial breeze. The boy shivered, and winced. The tattoo on his cheek was burning, like it was branded on.

"So you are him, eh?" The gruff disembodied voice stated through the darkness.

The darkness suddenly engulfed in indigo flames, and the scenery changes into a garden with a glass table and two chairs facing each other. A porcelain white tea set was placed and the cups were filled with orange-tinted tea. Two silver spoon was resting on the plate, tauntingly. There was a giant bush maze behind the table set. I grimaced at the sunlight as it was too bright for an actual sun. The boy looked around, and noted that nothing was out of the ordinary.

"So who are you?" A sudden voice broke my observation. I look back quickly and see-

A mirror image of himself…?

If one look closely enough there were differences: the mirror image have no red diamond tattoo, and his eyes were brown, instead of red.

"I am…" He tried to reply to the other. It was on the tip of his tongue, yet it feels so far away… like it didn't belong to  _him._  The boy tried to answer again. And again. But with no avail, the boy could not find the thing he was looking for.

"So, your answer?" The image asked sipping the still steaming tea, his eyes held amusement at the other's predicament.

"I- I don't actually know." The boy finally answered, giving up. He then turned to the person sitting on the chair, "Who are you then?"

The mirror image put the cup of tea on the plate with a 'clack'. He took out a handkerchief and placed it on the table, next to the cup. He looked up at the boy, smiling.

"My answer is the same as yours." He replied.

The sunlight is suddenly unbearable. He started fidgeting with the helm of his white dress shirt and bit his lower lip. The mirror image, sipping his drink, noticed the discomfort but said no words as he start dropping sugar cubes in the other tea. Motioning to the other to sit down and drink, which he did. After a few minutes in silence, the mirror image finally said:

"I guess we need to remember then."

The illusion broke after that.

 

 

 

...

* * *

 

 

 

...

####  **Location** : Unknown Location, Japan

####  **Time** : Approx. Eight Years before Present Day (2005)

A boy about seven years of age sat alone in a forest. His tattered clothes- consisted of a light blue jacket, pair of baggy denims, and orange sneakers- were covered in red. His hair is matted down with the red liquid. Once bright brown eyes looking at the world with innocence- now tormented glazed with madness and knowing. In his hands was a bloodied dagger.

The dagger was beautiful and would have been worth admiring- the platinum silver flat blade is carefully carved into a slight curve. The handle has beautiful intricate swirls, hand-carved, and a gold Chinese dragon with ruby pupils is protectively swirling around the grip. The gold hilt is in the shape of a diamond (rhombus), instead of a solid hilt, it has intricate swirls that makes look and feel solid. There is also a hand guard, like a saber and it, too, is gold and connected to the hilt. On the guard's flat surface was a sentence, engraved in ruby-

 

 

 

**VERITAS VOS LIBERABIT**

' _The truth shall make you free'_

It was very beautiful and people would have admired it, but it was stained with red and death. A blade worthy of death, a blade made to kill.

The child looked around, tear tracks stained his chubby cheeks. He quickly tried to wipe his face clean, but it didn't do much good. The blood on his shirt transferred onto his face.

"I'm scared…" the little boy said out loud. New tears started to form on the corners, and he made no effort to stop them. His small hands were shaking violently, and the knuckles turned white as his grip got tighter around the only protection he have.

The small forest breeze started to blow more harshly, temperature seem to drop a few degrees in just mere minutes. The boy sneezed and sniffed. He looked around.

Bodies. Dead bodies were littered everywhere. It wasn't like they were homeless or bums. They're pretty well dressed- expensive suits, silky dress shirts, leather shoes, and watches that middle class could not afford. Of course, high class but something else differentiate them- weapons. They have weapons- ranging from normal daggers to machine guns- they have it all. They were skilled too.

But they were lying dead on the smooth grass, some were leaning against the tree trunks, and some… were hanging from the tree branches or  _with_ tree branches sticking out of their chests.

The sound of bushes rustling put the child in full defense mode. The elegant dagger was now up to his chest height, readying himself. His tormented dull brown eyes turn has a vibrant orange tint in it.

"Who's there?!" The child shouted at the bushes. The rustling stopped immediately and out came six other children, four boys and two girls, in similar conditions as the child. He quickly dropped his dagger as he saw them.

"I-it can't be…! Y-you guys… aren't s-supposed to-," The boy stuttered out before falling over and onto his bottom.

" **27**!" A girl with waist-long brown hair, dulled with blood and grime, and violet eyes ran over and hugged the boy. She was wearing blue hospital scrubs and bare feet.

" **14** …!"  **27**  exclaimed happily, dropping the dagger with a dull 'thud' on the grass, "I t-thought… y-you…-" He didn't even managed to finish the sentence before sobbing on the shoulder of  **14**.

"Still the crybaby as always,  **27**." A boy, navy blue hair and gray eyes, teased. He's wearing a worn-out black wool sweater and green cargo pants with flat-bottom sneakers.  **27** puffed his cheeks in annoyance, but did not retort the boy. His hair is spikey with bangs covering his right eye. He was oldest out of the seven of them, the number ' **3** ' was what they known him as. One of the earliest experiments by  _those…_   _monsters_.

"Brother! Stop teasing  **27**  or I'll hurt you!" The girl, also with navy blue hair but silver-gray eyes, said. She's wearing a worn and dirtied blue plaid sundress with black cotton leggings and tattered brown leather sandals. Her hair was tied in a loose ponytail with a torn piece of cloth. She is known as number ' **4** '.  **3**  and  **4**  are both twins and inseparable, and both were taken at the same time. Maybe that's why  **4**  got captured too. The monsters only wants boys for the experiment, thinking girls were too… fragile for this.

"H-hey… how come you guys aren't in s-scrubs?" Another boy asked. He was actually the youngest out of them all, dubbed as number ' **36'** , one of the very last experiment. He has silver-almost white- hair and purple eyes. He was about the age of four when he got… taken and now he's about seven. He's also in scrubs and bare-footed with a worn down teddy bear as a companion. His eyes still radiated innocence and ignorance.

"Ah~ sweetie~! I missed you! We  _borrowed_  from a store just a mile away."  **4**  said in a cooing baby voice, practically glomping and smothering the poor child, "Wait here, okay?"  **4**  is the mother hen of our group. It could be because she's the oldest or because she have this…unhealthy obsession with younger boys.

She went over to the bushes, and pulled out a sack of… clothing? She fished out a maroon t-shirt, dark colored cotton vest, and jeans. 4 helped him get changed and put on a pair of boots on him. She proudly smiled as she examined her work.

"There you go! Is that better, sweetie?"  **4**  asked, her eyes twinkling with…something.  **3**  silently coughed in the background and mutters, "Your obsession with young boys will get you in trouble." The air got a few degrees colder, and she slowly turned to her brother. Her eyes were glowing.

"What did you say, my  _dear_ brother?" She asked sweetly.  **3**  mumbles a 'nothing' and walks a few feet away.

"Come here  **14** ,  **17** , and  **20**. I have your clothes too."  **17**  and  **20**  are both boys.  **17**  has green eyes and black hair cut in a bobbed. He lost his vocal cords in an experiment, so he no longer can talk. He would always lulled us to sleep with a song. He's also wearing the scrubs, and bare-footed. He quickly took the clothing and changed into a white long-sleeved undershirt with a black t-shirt over it, dark jeans, and sneakers. He smiled and signed a 'thank you'.  **4**  replied with a 'you're welcome.'

**20** , on the other hand, is a silent type. He is blind- also because of an experiment- and doesn't like human contact in general. He has black cropped hair and black eyes with a scar on his right cheeks. He quickly changed out of the scrubs into a brown wool sweater, green cargo pants, and similar sneakers.

**14**  quickly changed into a dark hoodie, denim jeans, and knee-high leather boots. She smiled at the clothing with approval.

"So what are we going to do now?"  **14**  asked. We formed a circle after everyone did their business in an empty space without decaying bodies or blood.  **27**  quickly snatched the dagger and pocketed it. The circle is silent, each thinking of the same thing but afraid to voice it. Because it's the dangerous and the safest-

"We go our separate ways."  **3**  said, voicing the group's thought.  **4**  nodded at her brother's suggestion, but there is hesitation in her eyes.  **36**  trembled, holding the bear tightly.  **14** looked away, covering her face.  **20**  and  **17**  looked down, staring the grass with interest. Crickets chirped in union, and owls hooted l

"W-Why?! Wouldn't that be more dangerous?!"  **36**  blurted out. Tears were falling freely and the bear's fur was catching every drop of it.

"It would be more dangerous if we stayed together. They would know that they're looking for a group, but not individuals."  **3**  explained. The rest stayed quiet, afraid of what might be coming after them.

"So do you remember where you live?"  **4**  asked, the 'before getting taken' was in there. Everyone except  **36**  nodded.

"You can come with us,  **36**."  **4**  said, smiling softly at the scared boy.  **36**  complied, and took her hand. She looked at everyone.

"We will split up, and will never –ever- come in contact with each other. We will not speak of this nor will we tell anybody. Got it? We will also never used the powers they gave us."  **4** commanded. All of us gave a nod, and a promise.

"I guess this is goodbye."  **14**  said. We gave our goodbyes and left the forest, thinking it will be the final time we will be together.

...

* * *

...

**27**  headed down the mountain and into the Namimori Town. The night was quiet, too quiet for a town this size. He quietly headed toward a very familiar house. Passing through a streetlight that buzzed, houses that light illuminated from, and few night creatures, he finally made it to his destination. A normal two-story house with a fence, on the name plate was the characters 'Sawada' carved. He rang the bell, and waited for what feels like hours.

"Hello?" a sweet feminine voice greeted from the intercom. The boy paused, afraid he got the wrong house.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" The voice asked, voice no longer hold that sweet greeting. One could hear something frying in a pan and the slight buzz of the exhaust fan for the smoke. It's all too familiar.

**27**  gulped and spoke into the intercom-

"Kaa-san…? It's me… Tsuna. Sawada Tsunayoshi."

The voice abruptly stopped and there were no movement. I couldn't hear anything. The front door opened slowly- cautiously, and out came a woman with short brown hair and warm innocent eyes. She was holding a ladle in her hands.

She walked over and opened the gate and greeted warmly,

"Welcome home, Tsu-chan." No questions were asked.

 

 

 

...

* * *

 

 

 

...

####  **Location** : Namimori, Japan

####  **Time** : Approx. Five Years before Present Day (2009)

Sawada Tsunayoshi, age ten, currently trying to dodge human beings.

"Tsu-chan! Come on, they're almost arriving!" Nana, kaa-san, exclaimed happily. They were currently at the airport in Tokyo, waiting for the new international arrival from Italy. New arrivals and tourists from different countries came out from the different gates, and practically swarm to find their greeters. Different languages and accents mixed with Japanese. Tsuna sighed after getting bumped into by another tourist.

"Kaa-san, I'm pretty sure they know where to meet us." Tsuna gritted out, as he got bumped and scowled by this lady with a pink poodle. Really? A pink poodle? He shook his head and jogged to catch up with Nana, which was quite hard from the waves of people. As he pushed through walls and walls of people, and as he got through the last wall, he bumped into someone. To be exact, someone's chest.

"Sorry-," Tsuna looked up to apologize, but was greeted with a-

"Tsuna!" The teen exclaimed in surprised. Tsuna, on the other hand, was quite dizzy from the shout. Who…?

"Who…?" Tsuna asked, his vision stabilizing, slowly but surely. Nana's voice exclaimed from behind-

"Ieyasu! Look at how you have grown! Aw~ I still remember the day when you were just heading off to Italy with 'Tou-san." Nana gushed as she ruffled his hair.

"Hello Kaa-san. It's been a while. I …uh… got used to my Italian name, Giotto, so if you don't mind…" The mature teen greeted. Nana flushed, and started gushing again. As she did, Tsuna just stood there observing Ieyasu- Giotto. His hair is still as puffy and golden as he remembered. His eyes were now sparkling blue, like a clear ocean. He's wearing a white dress shirt and jeans with sneakers. He looks regal and-

A couple of squeals from the back. Yep. He has fan girls now.

A few minutes later, a red hair teen joins the group. He introduce himself as G, and was wearing similar clothing as Giotto, except the dress shirt was red, not white. He has a red flame tattoo on his right side of his face. He's actually quite grouchy, and protective of Giotto.

Then came three more people, introducing themselves as Bovino Lampo, Sasagawa Knuckles, and Yamamoto Asari. Not that much can be said about them, but Lampo has the brightest (and the most unusual) green hair one has ever seen. Knuckles is a religious person, judging by the rosary around his neck and keep telling everybody that God is blessing them. Asari was a traditional Japanese teenager. He was wearing a dark blue yukata and holding a bamboo flute. Lampo and Knuckles were also wearing a similar outfit to Giotto and G but with their respective color of dress shirt.

Then finally out came the last two friends of Giotto, introducing as Daemon Spade and Hibari Alaude. The only thing that stood out was Daemon's weird hair style, the color reminded me of my… friends, and the strange laugh. Hibari Alaude is Hibari Kyouya's older brother, which was really obvious. He likes to call people 'Insects', while his brother likes to call them 'Herbivores'.

From another private plane, came the twin brother, Sawada Natsume, or known as Natsu. He has the same hair and face, except his eyes are sharper than mine's and has the orange tint and a much admired person. After the appearance, they are basically polar opposite. Natsu is great at sports, one of the smartest students, and popular. Well, one already know about Tsuna's reputation.

"Hello Kaa-san." He greeted her, and stared at me. "Tsuna." That is probably the best greeting one's going to get out of him.

"Hello." He greeted back. There was the awkward silence.

Then we meet Gokudera Hayato, G's brother. He has the same personality as G, except more… outrageous? He have silver hair instead of red, and has green eyes. Mukuro Rokudo and Chrome Dokuro, cousins of Daemon Spade, with the same hair colors, but Chrome's were lighter by a few shades. Mukuro's eyes were mismatched- red and blue. It seems he also inherited the creepy laugh. Lastly, we meet Bovino Lambo, brother of Lampo, even though he's the same age, he acts a lot like a child.

Of course lastly, we have the Arcobaleno, a group of seven adults. The man with the fedora and a scary aura introduced himself as Reborn, my brothers' tutor. Then Fong, who's Hibari's uncle. He was actually nice. Skull, Colonnello, Lal Mirch, Viper/ Mammon, and lastly, Verde, a scientist. Tsuna slightly froze as he saw the white coat, but it went unnoticed.

Then Iemitsu, otou-san, and his boss came out. There was a touching reunion between those three.

We greeted and introduced each other. Then from the gate, came someone that's not supposed to be here. Tsuna hitched his breath, 'not possible' is all he could think of. A teen with wavy navy blue hair and grey eyes walked out with a girl similar in facial structure and height, and a boy in tow. The boy saw him and waved silently, the girl looked toward his direction and eyes widen in surprise. Then the older boy looked at the same direction, and smirked- then he mouthed,

 

 

 

'Hello  **27** '

Tsuna froze up, his eyes widen. His breathing was now erratic, almost like having a silent panic attack.

Giotto looked in concern, and so did Natsu, and turned to the gate. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

Giotto turned back, "Is something wrong, Tsuna?" he asked out of concern. The group quieted down abnormally fast, it was actually weird to see the normal loud group so quiet. But they knew when Giotto or Natsu was concerned, something was terribly wrong.

"Oh nothing. I thought I saw something." Tsuna replied back, eyes still wandering and examining the crowd, looking for those three individuals, but they weren't there anymore.

'It could be the trick of the light.' He thought, convincing himself.

"Are you sure, Tsuna?" Natsu asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. Tsuna nodded.

They were at Italy for seven entire years. He was kidnapped just the day after they left, and Nana thought he was at a camp the entire time, for three whole years. Then getting out just shy of four years. Then after another five years, today, they finally came home.

 

 

 

No one ever knew

...

* * *

...

" _Who are YOU?"_

 

" _This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. I - I hardly know, sir, just at present - at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then."_

 

_-_ _**Caterpillar and Alice** _ _[Alice in Wonderland]_

> * * *


	2. Chain I

**Chapter One**

**...**

* * *

**Location:**  Namimori, Japan

**Time:**  Few hour earlier to Present Time

A fourteen-years-old boy walked up the stairs to the rooftop, where his brothers and friends ate. His hands tightened on his bento, afraid to go any further because he knew what will happen and what he will face- rejection. He was an outsider to them. His mouth curved downwards, but he did not stop. Then if Fate was pulling strings, a small breeze flew passed him, carrying a whispered message.

The boy suddenly smiled and turned on his heels to head to a different location.

**...**

Another boy, almost the same age as the first, was heading toward the roof of a nearby middle school. He quickly sat on his favorite spot, the shady area on the open garden roof. He smiled at the nice weather, since he learned to enjoy peace while it lasted. Of course, Peace only last for a short while. A normal-looking Pigeon dropped something that look very similar to their feces onto the boy's lunch. He twitched, but his smile is still there, plastered on his face.

"Alright." He mumbled into the air. The Pigeon had a smug look in its beady eyes.

**...**

A boy and girl about seventeen was resting in a park, ditching school like normal high school students. They were minding their own business before a stray dog appeared before them, holding a tattered tennis ball. The girl cooed, and ruffled its fur, while the brother complained about it having fleas.

She stood up, holding the tennis ball with a sentence carved into it. A satisfied smirk graced her lips.

"Looks like we're going hunting tonight~!"

In that single minute, a silent message, unknown to everyone, was passed to the four teenagers, and all of them gave their signal of acceptance.

**...**

* * *

**...**

**Location:** Outskirts of Namimori, Japan

**Time** : Present Time; Early Morning (Approx. 1:00– 3:00 AM)

**...**

It was well into the early morning hours, but the sky were still as dark as the shadows. The moon glowed and the stars sprinkled across the dark sky like glitter. The towering trees' shadows made the night feel much cooler than it really was. The human occupants, only four- three males and a female, were in the midst of the shadows. The figures were all wearing the practically the same thing- black wool military-style trench coat that came down to one's knees, black leather gloves with a playing card symbol engraved on the right one, and black leather combat boots.

Covering their faces were the full-faced plain white porcelain mask. Each mask was engraved with either a  _Blue Spade_ , a  _Red Heart_ , a  _Golden Diamond_ , or a  _Silver Club_  on the right cheek, and a Roman numeral number from  _'I'_ to ' _IV_ ' on the left, used for identification purposes.

They quickly surrounded an abandoned log cabin, just a few miles from the main road that lead to Namimori. It was run-down to the point where there were holes in the roof, and windows that were fogged with dust. Moss was growing through the cracks and slits like bacteria. Overgrown terrain surrounded it like a protective barrier, separating the cabin from the reality. Terrified screaming was still heard by the four, but now it's coming from the inner part of the cabin.

They stood there, like marble statues, listening the sound of screaming and metal scraping metal. All of them tensed at the familiar sound of flesh being cut and ripped apart.

"This is  **2**   **of Diamonds**. We request to head in, it seems the  **Joker** is getting very impatient." The shortest one, with a Gold Diamond and a Roman numeral 'II' mask, stated into an active wireless Bluetooth earpiece. He was the only one wearing a hooded cloak- full black with gold hems- successfully covering his soft, gravity-defying brown hair. His hazel-brown eyes shown from the eye sockets.

"This is  **Ace of Hearts**  and I agree with  **Diamonds**. I do not think that the  **Player** can hold on any longer." Another male voice spoke out, worry laced his voice. He was a head taller than  **2 of Diamonds** , yet shockingly, he's the youngest one. A good two months younger than  **Diamonds**. His abnormally silver-white cropped hair practically glowed in the dark forest. He has the Red Heart and numeral 'I' mask. His weapon, a military sniper rifle with glowing blue outlines, was pressed between his thighs.

"We will move in on the count of  _cinque._ The  **4 of Clubs** will be leading."  **3 of Spades** said, signaling to  **Clubs**. He's the tallest out of all of them and the oldest by three whole years. He has a bobbed-cut navy blue hair –which was currently tied-, the fringe covered his right eye. He usually don't give out verbal commands, and relies more on hand signals. His grey eye glowed with delight behind the mask. An elegant silver saber gleamed in the moonlight, the hand guard was hand-carved swirl forming the shape of a Spade.

"Yes sir."  **4 of Clubs** replied. She was the only female in the group and  **Spades** ' twin sister. Her hair reached to the middle of her back, tied into a tight ponytail and donned the Silver Club with numeral 'IV' mask. She disappeared in a flash of glowing purple particles and appeared the front entrance, positioned to ram down the door. She laid her hand swiftly on the rusted bronze handle of the crooked wooden door. Her other hand raised in positioned for a silent countdown.

The countdown started as she lowered her finger.

_Cinque…_

Their grip on their respective weapons tightened, some could feel their 'power' leaking through their pores and their mouth twisted in a slightly deranged smile. But no one cared. No one saw because of the masks.

_Quattro…_

The forest became silent and still, there was no sound of owls or crickets. Like the entire forest was anticipating and watching the scene unfurled before them.

_Tre…_

The screaming got louder and louder. Muffled whimpers and screams joined in to the agonizing choir, but the group waited for the signal that has yet to be given. Inside the cabin, a little girl tried to make herself sink into the shadows of the corner.

_Due…_

Thrashing, then something fragile fell onto the ground and dispersed into millions of tiny shards. The victim let out a terrified whimper as the predator got closer and closer, his eyes were clouded with a haze of insanity. He breathed out, the smell of tobacco and alcohol mixed in with the musky air. The outline of a giant skeleton with a playing card body appeared behind the predator, growing out of his skin almost. It grinned a creepy one, and his eyes were mixed with madness and delight. Wires were attached from the skeleton's fingers to the human's joint, glowing a light indigo hue at each twitch of the finger. Its eyes- ones bigger than the other swirled like someone filled his eyes with a pen.

"One more and you will finally reach your goal…!" It screeched, its static voice rose an octave, emphasizing each word.

The man did not answer back. His face was devoid of any emotion and his eyes hollowed. All he was- was just another puppet to the puppeteer. A mere doll and sacrifice.

_Uno_

Everything happened in just mere seconds- the last finger finally dropped, the door slammed opened, and the group rushed in. That's when everything went right and wrong at the same time. They quickly headed toward the inner part of the cabin while slamming every door they found open; shouting 'clear' after each rushed room examination. As they reached the door at the end of the tight corridor, the screaming got clearer and clearer.  **Clubs** positioned herself in front and kicked the door open, splintering the door into large and small chunks of wood. They quickly rushed in, weapons were unconsciously drawn in the midst of the chaos.

A sadistic laugh sounded in the front, by the dust-filled fireplace. The human male appeared from a thin film of mist. He was only wearing a white t-shirt with sweat stain and jeans, holding onto a machete with flesh blood dripping off of it. The still body of his captive laid behind the tattered red couch, her bare legs were peeking out. There were another captive- a little girl with black hair and clear blue eyes- terrified and shaking in the corner. Blood was splattered on her shirt and hair.

The man grinned and his voice- a normal human voice and a disembodied gruff one- spoke creepily, one eye going bigger than the other, "You are  _too_ late!" He clutched his hair with one hand, while lifting the bloodied machete with the other and threw it at the girl.

**Diamond** quickly intercepted the machete with his dagger, and quickly transported the bound girl to safety in a flash a dull orange and glowing particles. The man suddenly turned at them, rage and despair shown on his face, and charged at their direction. He was stopped by  **Hearts** , who shot a well-aimed bullet through his heart. The man gurgled and choked out a few strangled half-sentences. After a few seconds, he stopped, along with his heart. The monster, who's living and growing inside of the man's body, pushed itself out with an enraged snarl.

"The sweet, delicious smell of Chains…!" It sneered, but nobody was affected by it. It let out a deranged giggle, "I wonder… that smell…" it sniffed the air, "…You all must be _Contractors_! And…to the Gate Keepers, no less! This must be my  _lucky_ day…!"

**Diamond** appeared back as it confronted them. The group slightly froze, and the monster smirked. "You might be Contractors but Humans… They are all the same! They are  _so_ ~ _vulnerable_!"

It look straight at them, curiosity gleaming in its eyes,

" _So what did you humans wanted to change in the past?"_

_**...** _

* * *

_**...** _

**Location** : Namimori Middle | Namimori, Japan

**Time** : Two years before Present time

**4:32 AM**

A loud 'BANG' echoed in the early dawn of a Wednesday morning from the Sawada Resident. Birds, who were chirping happily, quickly squawked and flailed in fear before flying away from the said house. The neighbors, who are quite patient and understanding, ignored the ruckus as it's a normal, everyday scene.

Sawada Tsunayoshi, a twelve-years-old innocent child, groaned and quickly covered his head with an extra bed pillow. He groggily glanced at his alarm clock, which shined a beautiful '4:32 AM' to his face. Irritation began to seep on a usually patient, smiling face. It has been almost a full year since Giotto and Natsu came back from studying abroad in Italy. Each day after that was quite eventful, but welcomed with the open arms of Nana. A scream broke the silence, and he sighed.

'I'm already up. Might as well get there early than later.' Tsuna thought as he quickly changed into his school uniform, and walked out the door quietly. His footsteps barely made any sound, almost like a ghost gliding through, and quickly did his business in the bathroom.

Tsuna walked down the stairs and was greeted with the sight of Giotto's and Natsu's respective guardians. They glanced at him, and then ignored his presence- like always. Of course, the first few weeks they arrived, he tried to make small talk with each one of them, but it all ended with awkward silence or the 'don't-talk-to-me-anymore' look.

"Tsu-chan, you're awake already? Breakfast is almost ready!" Nana said from the kitchen. The awkward silence took over, with the sizzling of oil as background noise.

"Kaa-san, you don't have to make me food. I have to leave right now anyways." Tsuna replied, and added mentally, 'I can't stay here any longer or I might lose my mind and sanity.'

Alaude and G glanced at him in suspicion, but did not make any attempt to stop him.

During the entire two years they've been back, the brothers and Tsuna never really tried to get the brotherly bond back. They acted like strangers, inside and out, and both sides never tried or took the time to acknowledge the other. Even though there were 'family-bonding' time, it usually ended up with Iemitsu, Nana, Giotto, and Natsu having fun- and Tsuna would usually be on his own. Though, it was his own fault- he was scared of any type human contact, like giving and receiving physical affection, which resulted in panic attacks- ranging from mild-to-severe or affections in general. He also developed a mild form of Claustrophobia, he can't be in dark, cramp spaces for a long time. He was broken mentally- four years in somewhere worse than Hell could do that to a child; being a flame holder and have all the requirements to be a Contractor, makes one perfect guinea pig.

Of course, that leads to people avoiding him and ignoring his presence, which is working in his favor.

'After all… No one wants to acknowledge a  _monster_  to be their child.' Tsuna thought as he puts on his shoes. He could feel those unshed tears prickling the corners of his eyes. He could hear their accusations and hatred behind closed doors.

"Oh… but it's only four in the morning, where-," Nana began to ask, but he quickly injected, "I have to finish a project."

"Oh, okay! Have fun!" She commented.

'It's better to be despised and hated, than to be loved. Less heart breaks this way.' He thought as he headed toward school.

…

**12:00 PM- Lunch**

It was lunch, and it also the time to prove how social and popular someone is, or in Tsuna's case- how antisocial and rejected a person can get. He sighed as he got up with his school-bought lunch, heading up to the roof. No one really bullied or bothered him after Giotto and Natsu transferred to the school.

'Probably to get on their good side.' He thought.

He opened the metal roof-access door, which has rusty hinges that gave out a long creak as it moved. It was good and bad at the same time- good for signaling, and bad if one's trying to be stealthy.

He peered around, and quickly accessed that the regular roof occupants have yet to arrive on sight, he let out a relieved sigh. He went to a spot that was never occupied because some person spread this rumor of a ghost haunting the area. Even though he was scared of ghosts, this was the only area that made him feel safe- safer than anywhere else, even his own house. It was an abandoned roof-top garden, which Tsuna would tend to everyday after school. It used to just a patch of dirt, but it's now a beautiful garden of colorful array of flowers. It made him feel at peace, like he was not a monster or tainted with so much darkness.

The door was opened, and the familiar voices filled the peaceful air- with extremes, threats of bombing, and laughter- happy, joyful, and carefree laughter. The two groups took their spot- the one with the campus view, for surveillance and early detections. The garden and the hangout spot was on opposite sides, separated by the roof access stairway room. Tsuna perked up as he heard someone speaking-

On the other side was the two groups: Vongola Decimo and his Guardians, and Vongola CEDEF and his own Guardians. They sat in a large circle, each on their respective side.

"Hey Giotto, the brat wasn't in the classroom." G grumpily stated, as he lit a cigarette. Alaude's hand twitched to his handcuffs, and gave a death glare. G quickly snuffed the new cigarette out in fear.

Giotto looked surprised, "What do you mean he's not in the classroom? He's always there... maybe he went to the restroom… yeah that must be it." He convinced himself, and Hayato quickly scoffed.

"Why do you even care about that idiotic disgrace?" Hayato asked, malice laced his tone. Tsuna, who overheard the question, sighed and decided to stop eavesdropping from that point on.

"He's my twin, Hayato. Remember that." Natsu growled, and Hayato quickly stopped and mumbled an apology to Juudaime. Natsu turned to Giotto, "I'll go check on him when lunch is over." Giotto nodded.

Just like that, the conversation took a turn into happier subjects. Tsuna, who was there the entire time, hugged his knees.

The voice of conviction repeated a simple statement over and over in his head:

" _You will taint them"_

Tsuna slowly sank into unconsciousness, and to where his past repeats itself.

The lunch bell rung, and the promise was forgotten. No one noticed a missing brunet, not even the teachers.

…

**2:00 PM**

After a few hours, Tsuna regained consciousness. He looked at his phone, and debated if he should go to class or not.

'I doubt Nezu-sensei would let me in.' He thought, 'Might as well go home.' He grabbed his stuff and left the school undetected by the Disciplinary Committee and the two Head Prefects.

The road that used to be filled with boisterous students, was now empty and quiet. He quickly walked home, feeling uneasy like if someone was following him.

'I'm almost there, just a few more blocks…' He told himself, each steps got faster and wider than the last. As he passed through rows of houses, and some elders, who scolded him for being out of school, he quickly arrived to the Namimori Park. It was empty as expected.

"Why… am I here?" He asked himself and furrowed his brows to find a reason. There was no reason for him to be here, he never came here before or played here. He didn't have the perfect childhood that people would expect, being raised by Sawada Nana, a ditzy and gullible woman, and married to a Sawada Iemitsu, a blonde, Italian guy, who was suspected of adultery by the neighborhood wives. He sat on a swing, adjusting until he felt comfortable. Then he pushed off.

After a few minutes, the uneasy feeling came back, ten-fold. He jumped off in mid-swing and landed with a barrel roll. He stood up, getting ready to leave then-

"Oh already leaving? I thought you missed me,  **27**." A voice sneered from behind. Tsuna's eyes widen at the old and unwanted name. The name that marked him as a monster.

"Or should I call you  _Sawada_   _Tsunayoshi_? Because you seem so  _comfortable_  with that name." Tsuna turned around, and was face-to-face with someone that should be dead. He has black hair, slicked back with gel, and calculating, sharp gray eyes. He was wearing a normal white dress-shirt and black slacks. His mouth curved up into a satisfying and cruel smirk.

Tsuna took a step back, his eyes widen in horror as he thought 'I watched you die.' A paused. 'I was the one who killed you.'

The man continued to speak, "I didn't know monsters need to have names. Isn't that interesting,  _Sawada_   _Tsunayoshi_? We learned something new each day." Each step he took, Tsuna took a step back, trying to widen the gap between them.

"Don't worry  _Sawada_   _Tsunayoshi_ , I will do the world a favor, and put your pitiful existence out." He was suddenly in front of me, holding a sharp blade,

"After all,  **27** , you are just an  _INVALID_ , along with those escapees that you called ' _friends'_." He said, "But don't worry, I already put out three of them."

Tsuna felt his knee buckled and he fell onto the ground. The man continued talking and bragged, "They were so  _adorable_  but they were monsters. Monsters do not  _deserve_ to be treated as humans. If they were  _humans,_ I would've spared them." He broke out laughing hysterically. Tsuna never felt so scared in his whole life, he could see his short life flashed before his eyes.

"You sure talk a lot for a dead man, don't you, _Doctor Zweig_?" A new voice broke the tension. They both looked at the newcomer, and Tsuna nearly cried in happiness. It was a pleasant surprise, but a very welcomed one.

" **3**!  **4**!" Tsuna screamed.

"Hold on  **27**. Let us take care of the  _rat_  first."  **3** commented as he disappeared and reappeared with a giant rabbit behind him. Tsuna's eyes widen as he watched  **3**  swung a silver saber that manifest out of nowhere, cleanly through the doctor's neck, like a knife through warm butter. A few seconds later, the delayed scene happened- the head was disconnected from the body, blood skirt out violently, staining Tsuna's and  **3** 's clothes.

" **27**!" He heard a gentle, feminine voice called and looked up. He smiled as he saw the worried look on her face, a look that he never received from anybody.

" **4** …" He could feel the darkness pulling him away, but  **4** wouldn't let him succumbed into it- "Stay awake,  **27**!"

The effects went away after a few agonizing minutes, and they went to a secluded space in the park. There was no word exchange, but Tsuna felt mad... and betrayed, he looked up and asked,

"Why did you use the powers? Did you forget about the  _PACT_ ,  **3**?!" Tsuna questioned him.

**3**  looked older, but it has been ten or so years, he should be seventeen or so. His hair was still the same, but he's fit than Tsuna remembered. He was wearing metal-wired glasses now, which made him more attractive to the ladies. He's wearing a plain Namimori high school uniform with a few personal touches here and there. His face has a permanent scowl about now.

**4** did not change at all- her hair is still in a high ponytail, her full fringe is still there and she was also wearing a Namimori high school uniform. There were worry lines under her eyes, but it was barely noticeable.

"Stand down,  **27**."  **3** commanded, "I- I'm going to start explaining everything, so sit down and get ready for a lecture, crybaby!"

Tsuna sat down on a small patch of fresh grass, his face still held clear resentment and annoyance.

"So- after we went our separate ways, we went to Europe- specifically Italy. We thought we could get a fresh start over and look for information about the… experiments…, but that didn't happen. On the first few months,  **36**  died of an infection from an experiment done on him before the escape."

Tsuna bit his lips, trying not to cry in front of them.

"After that, everything went downhill- I… I got addicted to morphine… and  **4** …-"

"I went into a major depression. S-Suicidal even. Tried to kill myself quite a few times." She stated bluntly, her eyes glazed over, "The nightmares… it got to both of us. We tried to fight it…but we lost in the end."

**3** continued, "Of course it went on for a year or so, before  **he**  picked us up."

"He?" Tsuna asked.

"Liam Zweiling or Zweiling Liam in Japanese. He works for this organization called  _ **Karneval**_  that hunts escaped Chains and arrest Contractors that uses its powers illegally." He explained, "First off-  _Chains_  are monsters that escaped from the  _Labyrinth_ , a place worse than Hell. Everybody in  _Karneval_ is a Contactor, because only  _Chains_  can attack other _Chains_."  **3**  explained.

"How… does this exactly play in with everything?"

"The power we were given… they are not powers...They're- They are Chains…Powerful ones..." Tsuna's eyes widen as he put the pieces together.

"All Seven of us are or were Contractors… with the Seven Gate Keepers."

"G- Gate Keepers? W- What does that mean?"

"There are  **Seven**   **Gates**  to the  _Labyrinth_ , each named after the elements, and each  **Gate**  is assigned to a Guardian so not everyone can make contracts with Chains."  **3**  carefully explained, "But making a contract with a Gate Keeper is really difficult, and that's why there were no successful contracts with them in the past. Also, they're sought after not because they're rare, but they control the seven flames or you might know it as the Dying Will Flames."

"Huh? What do you mean by 'controlled'?"

"Where do you think Dying Will Flames come from? Not from one's body. Dying Will Flames is a form of a contract that does not limit user's life span, but they only get a small portion of power aka the Flames. The contract is called a 'Limited Time Contract'. The Gate Keeper would regulates how many people can have their flames, and they have the power to take _back_ the flames.  _So for example: If I am the Sun Gate Keeper, and there is a Sun Flame user, I can stop his flames, lend him more flames, or destroy the flame- which turns him into a normal human_. There are no exceptions. That is how powerful Gate Keepers are."

"What changed for them to finally have Contractors?" Curiosity got the better of Tsuna, and he couldn't back away. He has to know.

" _Gate_   _Keepers_  have three specific requirement: One:  **a child** , two:  **must have undeveloped flame** \- meaning normal children with no flames would not work, and… the last **: one must be desperate enough to give one's life away.** "  **4**  explained, taking over for his brother, "I have the Rain Flame, so I made a contract with The March Hare, a Chain that can put everyone at ease and the Keeper of the Rain Gate. My brother, who has the Mist flames, is contracted to Cheshire Cat- the Keeper of the Mist Gate and a Chain very well-known for its illusions."

Tsuna stayed quiet, it all made sense now. The power, the reason why he was chosen and kidnapped… everything…

"So what Chain do I have?" Tsuna asked them. They look at each other wearily and then looked back at him.

"Since you're a Sky, you made a contract with-,"

**...**

* * *

**...**

**Location** : Outskirts Namimori, Japan

**Time** : Present Time | Approx. 3:00-3:30 AM

The Chain laid on the ground, dissolving into a pile of ashes, then quickly evaporating into the air.  **Hearts** quickly called someone and mumbled a 'mission complete'. The other line was completely silent for a few minute as he quickly gave his report to the Superiors.

Tsuna suddenly felt faint, his grip on his Chain's designated weapon loosen and it disappeared in ashes and smokes.

"Shit… I knew I shouldn't have use so much power…" He began to topple over as the rest of the team watched in horror. He closed his eyes and wait for the feeling of the hard floor connecting with his body.

But it never happened.

He fell onto something soft and hard at the same time. He open his eyes wearily, and met face to face with a uniform-covered chest. He looked up to thank the person,

"Thank you,  _Mad_   _Hatter_." Tsuna fell into unconsciousness from the use of his power.

"You're welcome, my  _contractor_."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Timeline:**
> 
> 400 years ago || 1600's – Mysterious boy and destruction; age approx. 4
> 
> _Time skip-_
> 
> Eleven years ago || 2002 – Tsuna gets kidnapped; age 4
> 
> Eight years ago || 2005 – Tsuna escaped from captive; age 7
> 
> Five years ago || 2009 – The brothers' and company comes to Japan; age 11
> 
> **Two Years ago || spring, 2011 – First attack and reunion.**
> 
> Present Time || 2013
> 
> ...
> 
> **Vocabulary time:**
> 
>  **Countdown** ; Italian for '5, 4, 3, 2, 1'
> 
> **2 of Diamonds** \- Tsunayoshi
> 
> **Ace of Hearts** – Unknown (For right now)
> 
> **3 of Spades** \- 3
> 
> **4 of Clubs** \- 4
> 
> ...
> 
> **Chains** \- Monsters; they lure their victims into thinking they [chains] can change the past. Requirement: must be desperate enough.
> 
>  **Labyrinth** \- Prison for Chains, where Chains are born and made
> 
> **Gate Keepers** \- They are like Gate Guards, or the Record Keepers, keeping everything in check and making sure no idiotic human goes and make a contract with a Chain.
> 
> _*So if you guys still are confuse: A Gate Keeper is a Chain that is in charge of a 'Gate' and regulates the 'Flames'. They have full control of their Specific type of Flame. So if a Gate Keeper & Contractor goes against the same specific flame user, it's automatically a win for the contractor._
> 
> _* So for example: If I am the Sun Gate Keeper, and there is a Sun Flame user: I, the Sun Gate Keeper, can stop his flames, lend him more flames, or destroy the flame- which turns him into a normal human._
> 
> _*Requirements: *A child, *must have UNDEVELOPED flames (flames that have not yet shown itself) *must be desperate enough to make a contract that literally sign your life to the devil._
> 
> ...
> 
> **Dying Will Flames** : is a form of a contract that does not limit user's life span, but they only get a small portion of power aka the Flames
> 
> _** Certain type of Contractor that have the Limited Time Contract, meaning each descendent, who is similar to the original contractor, will receive the Dying Will Flame. BUT it's limited because, after the User use it all up, he turns back into a normal human being and the descendants will have no flames either, unless they renew the contract._
> 
> _**Analogy wise- think of a giant pile of candy in a bowl. Each generation would take a handful of candy and then the next gen. and then the next, next gen. until finally the candy bowl goes empty (from all the generation before them), so it's time to refill (make a new contract)._
> 
> **CONTRACTOR** \- human beings that voluntarily or forcefully made a 'contract' [read: bond] with a Chain.
> 
> ...
> 
> _Karneval_ \- Organization that deals with illegal activities involving Contractors, and to put escaped Chains back into the Labyrinth.
> 
>   
> _*** Karneval and Mafia_ \- Not on good, speaking terms.


	3. Chain II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn; Inspired by: Pandora Hearts (Do not own.) Quote is from Tumblr (If anyone knows the quote's author, please tell me so I can properly credit. Thank you.)

**Chapter II**

* * *

 

**Location: Italy**

**Time: March, 1613**

A boy walked through the corridor to a large oak double doors with gold and bronze accent handles. He was wearing a black vest and black slacks, just like every servants there. He opened the door silently and slid in unnoticeably by the guests. One would say the room was magnificent, but that would be the understatement of a life time. Diamond chandeliers hung in a circular pattern beautifully from the arc ceiling with a painting of cherubs and clouds. Beige colored pillars with gold woven ropes wrapped around the middle were lined up next to the walls. Maroon velvet curtains hung openly, showing the clear glass French-styled windows as if they were art works waiting to be admired. The maroon velvet carpet masked the footsteps of the patrons.

Aristocrats were spread around the room with their trophy wives and children next to them. Everything seems to have a slight glow to it.

“Tsunayoshi, is it not?” A soft voice asked the boy from behind. Tsuna turned, showing his red irises with slit pupils and the red diamond, to the man. Tsuna stared at the man, who introduced himself simply as _Conte di Tempesta_ , with curiosity. He was wearing a simple yet elegant thick frock coat with gold floral embroiled on the cuffs and lapels. Underneath the coat, he was wearing a simple black vest and white dress-shirt and white breeches and black boots. He had long golden hair framing his face and mismatched eyes- one blue and the other green.

“Y-yes..!” Tsuna excitedly answered the man, “D-do you need something, _Conte di Tempesta_? Perhaps a drink o-or-,” He was quieted by a chuckle from the Count himself, who seemed to be amused by the other’s action. He quickly bowed his head as a sign of apology and to cover up his blush, shutting his eyes tightly as he waited for his punishment. Will it be a whipping, or a slap on the cheek? Tsuna wondered, as he prepared for the pain.

But it never came.

“Raise your head, _boy_.” A snarky voice commanded. Tsuna quickly raised his head, and came face to face with a lady in a bright purple ball gown with silver trimmings and black lace. He covered his grimaced with a smile at the sight and at her face- stark white, and bright red lips. Even though it was the popular feminine makeup, he could never get used to it. Tsuna quickly glanced around for _Conte di Tempesta_ , but _he_ was nowhere to be found.

“Yes my lady?” He asked, giving a courtesy bow. Just as he raised his head, the stench of a rotting corpse filled the air like water vapors, but not one patron was bothered by the smell. He covered his nose with the crook of his elbow as he tried to block the stench out. The stench of a Contractor’s body breaking down because of a Chain.

“Has your _Master_ never taught you any manners, _Boy_?!” She hissed at him with her brows furrowed, making her look more hideous than ever. Tsuna looked at her questioningly, but he had no time for this- he had to find the decomposing Contractor before his body reached its limit. After muttering an apology to the steaming lady, he maneuvered through the crowd of Aristocrats trying to locate the man or woman. As he got closer to the stench, something grew in the pit of his stomach. He got to the corner, but nobody was there.

Tsuna looked around, but nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Everything was perfectly in place. Tsuna looked once over of the room, and his eyes narrowed. Too perfect. Tsuna unsheathed his dagger, strapped on his right ankle, readying for an attack. The room started to glow again, signaling the illusion was starting again. The patrons fell to the floor like flies, one by one. The carpet successfully muffled out the dull thumps of the unconscious.

He reached for the nearest victim, a young boy, and reached to find a pulse. But there wasn’t one. He went to another and another. All lead him to the same result as the first one. All dead like flies.

“You look troubled, Tsunayoshi.” A voice echoed. Tsuna looked at the large stairs cautiously.

“ _Conte_ _di_ _Tempesta_ -” Tsuna growled, “-or should I say, _Rovino_ _di_ _Zweig_. The Contractor to the Knave of Hearts.” Rovino just smiled from his place on the staircase. He knew that Tsuna can’t do anything- because after all-

“It has been a long time, my lovely red-eye servant.”

A red string in the distance was broken at that single moment.

* * *

 

> **_The most damaged people are the wisest…_ **

* * *

 

 

**Location: Namimori, Japan**

**Time: Present**

Tsuna woke up gasping for air, trying to remember his dream. It was all a blur- all he could remember was lights and that man standing on the staircase. That man was saying something, but the sound wasn’t reaching to his ears. He got out of bed and changed, successfully forgetting the dream all together. No need to dwell on something so trivial, he thought as he went downstairs and was greeted by a full house. Tsuna blinked, thinking it was all a dream or another crazy illusion that his Chain created as a payback.

‘I said I was sorry, Hatter.’ Tsuna said, as he walked into the kitchen, grabbing a piece of butter-garlic toast from the frying pan. Ignoring the ‘people’ in the room, he grabbed his pack and walk out the door- to be greeted by a bunch of people in black suits and poorly hidden weapons.

‘Oh? What’s with the sudden second apology, Tsu-chan?’ Hatter drawled, as he mentally smirked. Tsuna felt himself getting another headache after this conversation- because _everybody_ knows a conversation between a chain and contractor will lead to tears, blood, and a dead body. Tsuna tried to keep the blood and a dead body from happening. He really tried.

‘The illusion. Cut it out. You know you’re not allowed to cast/use illusions on my family.’ Tsuna informed, ignoring a barking dog. A bicycle’s bell ring in the distance, and a more-than-welcome breeze swept a few dead leaves off the grounds.

‘That was no illusion, Tsu-chan. It was legit, human-beings.’ Hatter informed, ‘You know Tsu-chan- I think you need more training.’ One could _feel_ the smirk growing on his face. Tsuna shivered, not from the breeze.

‘Hatter, really. No. I’m fine.’ He replied as he saw the tell-tale gate of Namimori Middle in the near distance. It look oddly deserted for a school day, Tsuna thought but decided to ignore the growing dread in the pit of his stomach.

‘Oh so you know today _is_ a Saturday.’

Tsuna stopped walking, and tried to digest the information Hatter just gave to him.

‘Go back to Hell, Hatter.’ Tsuna cursed as he turned to head back home. Hatter is currently rolling around the mental floor, laughing.

**Location: Namimori Mountain**

**Time: Eight years ago**

Tsuna was scared. No, terrified almost. He was at the park, swinging on the swing. For a few days, Nana was at home, her eyes were red from crying. Iemitsu left with his brothers saying that they were going on a trip to Italy, and would be back in a few days. Then she answered the phone this morning, and everything changed. She stopped crying and became happy. She quickly dressed Tsuna in warm clothing and dropped him off at the park, telling him she would pick him up later. It was a cloudy October day. It was Tsuna’s Birthday. He wondered if Nana was getting a cake, just like how she would give Natsu a cake. He couldn’t wait, because this would be the first time he would get a cake for him, not Natsu.

Then a black SUV pulled up to the park entrance and men came out. They surrounded him and a syringe was injected into the boy’s bloodstream, successfully robbing the boy of his senses. From behind the SUV, the boy’s mother watched happily as the boy slumped down into the arm of a stranger in black suit.

No one wants an unwanted child. Not even the most forgiving parent.

* * *

 

The two men in white lab coats dragged him to a room with bloodied sharp objects hanging from the walls. There was a worn and torn surgical bed that looked like it had more bad days than good. The only thing that looked remotely close to ‘clean’ was the surgical lights that hung down. Tsuna was thrown the bed and tied down by leather belts. He struggled against their grips but with no avail.

He let out a soft whimper, as they tightened the belt a bit too tight. The wounds from last night’s ‘discipline’ was still fresh on his back. As he would move, the wounds would sting and burn from the friction.

They took out a rusted metal tray with the sterilized tools, and syringes filled with strange colored liquids. Tsuna struggled against the bonds, tears started to form. Praying, hoping some miracle would happen- like the bedtime stories Iemitsu would tell him and his brothers- about a hero that would helped the weak from the monsters. Monsters that would prey on the weak. At the end, the hero swooped in and saved the day- a perfect happy ending. So where is the hero when he needed him? Tou-san left him with his mother, while he took his older brother and twin to Italy. Tears rolled down his chubby cheeks as he felt a prick from a needle.

The door opened again, and Tsuna’s heart leaped with hope. It quickly died down and replace with horror when another set of lab coat men with another child in their arms. The child had silver hair and gray eyes, but more compliant than Tsuna himself. Dull gray eyes stared at Tsuna like he wasn’t there. Tsuna stared back, horrified, as one of the lab coat men pulled out a revolver and put it on the child’s temple. The tell-tale click of the safety removing. Tsuna heard it so many times, too many times. The men weren’t merciful or worried about repercussions, because they know they are gods in this room.

“N-no…! S-SHIRO!” Tsuna screamed them to stop, but twisted, evil smiles formed on their faces as the trigger was pulled. Blood splattered on the wall, and on that day- Tsuna lost his first friend to the monsters in white. The image of his friend burned in his memory forever.

“Now, now **27** … you don’t want to become like **shiro** over there… do you now?” A sickly sweet voice asked mockingly. Tsuna slumped down obediently as familiar darkness took him away.

He knows he can’t escape anymore.

* * *

 

>   ** _The saddest people smiles the brightest…_**

* * *

 

 

**Location: Namimori, Japan**

**Time: Present**

Tsuna snapped back into reality as he stepped into the hallway. Quickly removing his shoes, he walked into the living room which was still occupied with a full house. Giotto's guardians and Natsu's guardians were still there, turning to see the intruder and turned back as they deemed it was just Tsuna. Dame-Tsuna. The new arrivals from this morning were Vongola Nono and his Guardians were there in casual-formal clothing and Varia was there too. Then came Millefiore Famiglia's Gesso Byakuran (Byakuran Gesso) and Giglio Nero's Yuni. Chiavarone's Dino walked into the living room, surprised was written on his face as he saw me.

"Hey Tsuna. You're back! How was the walk to an empty school?" Dino said, gaining a few chuckles.

"Dino, why don't you sit down? The meeting's about to start." Giotto said, any emotions were wiped away from his voice and face. The room grew ten degrees colder. Natsu glared at Tsuna to leave the room, and don't make a fool out of himself.

"…H-Hello." Tsuna greeted as he walked upstairs, his hands were still shaking and sweaty from the flashback. Why now? It never got so bad that he's practically shaking. Heck, he usually don't remember anything from it.

As he walked closer to his bedroom, a sharp pain burst in his skull. He slid down onto the floor, massaging his temple, and hoping it would disappear soon. Then another came, like a wave, and the world turned bright- then dark.

_The room smelled like iron. Tsuna silently backed onto a wall, noting that it was a log cabin. Moonlight streamed into the cabin and illuminated the room as he got up. He flinched as he look down to his stomach- a large bloodied gash was there and blood was flowing steadily out. He clenched his teeth as he ripped the bottom helm of his shirt to cover to wound. He began walking to the other room, where the stench of iron was the strongest._

_Why does this look so familiar? He walked through another door-_

_And he nearly screamed._

_Bodies were hanging from the ceiling by their wrists, blood were dripping and soaking into the hay-covered floor. Tsuna got closer and closer, dread building up like suspense in a good horror film. He turned one of the hanged body and-_

Tsuna gasped as he clutched onto something… soft and warm…? He looked up, and saw Giotto holding onto his arm, not letting go. His blue eyes showed worried. Then he felt someone rubbing his back soothingly, it felt nice. He turned and saw Natsu looking concerned.

"Tsuna! Are you alright?" Giotto asked as G scoffed saying 'Of course he is, look at how he's sweating a bucket load.' Giotto ignored him, and began to wipe the sweat off Tsuna's forehead. His warm hands felt nice against his cold skin, but good things must come to an end.

"G-Giotto, Natsu. You can s-stop now. I'm fin-," Tsuna said as he let go of Giotto, and the soothing hand on his back disappeared. They look suspicious, but they still let go. He stood up then another stab and this time, it wasn't holding back. Tsuna screamed, and the world turned again. He felt the floor shake with rapid footsteps.

_He was now running through a large forest, his heart was pounding with adrenaline and fear. What was going on? He was following someone, but the trees' shadows were obstructing the figure. As they went into the clearing, the figures began to show themselves. It was Vongola Decimo, his guardians and the CEDEF. They were a few years older. They were wearing standard black suits with different color dress shirts according to their flames, and weapons were drawn with blood dripping off of it. Their eyes were hard, and lack compassion and mercy that they once held._

_Why was he here then? What is going on? Why was there blood?_

_A single command made his blood run cold:_

" _Kill everyone, and leave no survivors. Women and children included."_

_And no one disobeyed._

_..._

He gasped awake. His heart was trying to pound his way out of his chest it seemed. No, calm down. It was just a nightmare. A really realistic nightmare. He gulped down, trying not to puke from the very imagery dream he just had.

"Tsuna!" A voice said, and he felt eyes staring at him. He looked around and found himself on the couch where Nono was sitting and a blanket draped over him.

"W-what happened?" He felt sick, but the images and voices won't leave his head. He clutched his head again, and felt a slight bump formed.

"You fainted." Sharma said as he gave Tsuna a pain killer and glass of water. Tsuna took it gratuitously.

"So what happen, Tsuna?" Nono asked, his eyes were observing me. At that moment, he felt the accusations and judgments from everyone. He looked away from them, but it was still haunting his mind.

"Nothing." He replied without missing a beat as he got up and headed back his room, giving a mumbled 'thank you'. The eyes never left his figure.

 

...

* * *

 

...

"Tsuna. It's getting worse." Hatter said, as he materialized into his black rabbit 'energy-conserving' form, "You're starting to have visions out of the 'sleep zone'. Which is really, really bad for you if you want to keep  _everything_  a secret from  _them._ " Hatter jumped onto the desk, and made a makeshift nest with his homework and tests. Tsuna grimaced at the rustling sound.

"Can you stop that, Hatter?"

"No can do, Tsu-chan." Hatter said, "We need to take care of that pesky intuition of yours once and for all." Of course, a person from the direct linage of Vongola Primo should never become a contractor because of complications- such as: A normal human cannot have two contracts at the same time. Technically, Tsuna currently has two contracts- one with the Sky Chain via Vongola Primo, and one with Mad Hatter, the Sky Gate Keeper. Then as a 'special ability' the Vongola Intuition was passed down- generation and generation. It was for locating wayward chains but now-a-days, it's more of a handicap during battle.

So what does this exactly have to do with Tsuna's headache? Everything. A Gate Keeper also have a special ability that get passed on to the contractor, called 'Clock' It lets the Contractor to have visions of future events, but usually it's quite weak. But with the Intuition, the visions would be clear as day and the intuition would think it's a chain, and goes into overdrive. So either suffer through the headaches, or try to change the unchangeable future, or get rid of one.

"S-so did you find a way?" Tsuna asked as he changed back into pajamas.

"Nope~" Hatter replied back. He groaned into his pillow, and an abrupt knock on the door. Hatter quickly disappeared and he was left with is a messy desk, and an annoying ringing in his ears.

"Tsuna. It's Giotto, Alaude and Daemon. We're coming in." The trio walked in, each giving a physical greeting. The room started feel smaller as they took a seat somewhere in my room. Giotto, next to me on my bed, Alaude- a chair, blocking one's way out, and Daemon- the window. Blocking all the escape routes.

"Let's talk." Giotto's eyes lost its shine, and his stare became cold. The room got colder, and that's when the pieces clicked into place.

 

_"Who are you?" A question was asked._

_But he asked the same question to himself._

...

* * *

>  
> 
> _**The loneliest people are the kindest...** _
> 
>   
> __**All because they do not wish to see anybody else suffer the way they do.** _ _
> 
> * * *

****


	4. III

Chapter III

* * *

 

Tsuna didn’t know what to do. He panicked and blurted out the first thing that came to his mind, which could quickly have broken down the wall he built and modified to his liking. But he knew, in his mind, this was not Giotto- it never was to begin with nor was Alaude and Daemon real.  Giotto’s eyes widen, hands turned into fists, clenching the blue fabric of the comforter. Alaude and Daemon were still there, but the air surrounding them became tense, as if heavy fog just rolled in.

“Who am I?” With eyes glaring, Giotto repeated the question. “Did you forget your _own brother_ , Tsuna? I thought you’re better than this.” Tsuna quickly scoot backwards, gaining as much distance from Giotto as possible, because after all, the hyper-intuition was never wrong. His eyes narrowed- ‘never wrong’ was a little bit exaggerating. It came close to being wrong, and…

It was wrong one time…

 _That_ _time_.

“You’re not Giotto,” Tsuna looked at the two companions, “Nor are they Alaude-san and Daemon-san.” It was an accusation with more than enough holes. An accusation he can’t afford to make right now, if what his intuition is telling him is correct. The silence around him was deafening, there was no background noises at all- every sound that defined Namimori was gone, as if someone pressed the mute button.

Then a laugh broke the silence. It wasn’t a light-hearted laugh one would expect from the person laughing, it was dark- almost menacing. Tsuna watched in horror as Alaude and Daemon melted into soft smoke, draining into the carpet. Following right after, the walls began to dissipate along with the furniture, revealing a room with frosted windows replacing the walls. Bookshelves next to each other, but instead of books, broken dolls and hastily-sewn stuff animals sitting on the shelves.

Giotto’s image melted off, revealing a brunet man in renaissance clothing. His eyes were obstructed behind a gold masquerade mask and his fringes, while plastered on his face was a sincere yet mysterious smile. He held his hand out, gesturing Tsuna to grab onto it. Without a second of hesitation, Tsuna quickly reached for the hands but as he touched it, it dissolved in soft smoke like the rest of the illusion.

“My, my- I didn’t expect you to see through my illusions that quickly.” A slightly accented voice said. “It was one of my more…complex –so people say- illusions, but you are the Mad Hatter… are you not?” The voice wrapped itself around the room, echoing as it bounced off the walls. Smoke crawled into sight as it covered the reflective black-white checkered floor. The bookshelves started to dissolve as soon as the smoke touched it.

“Oh dear, looks like I don’t have much time.” The voice stated as the bookshelves turning to glass and crumbling onto the ground, shattering into millions of tiny pieces around Tsuna. The figured appeared, and this time in a black-red and white diamond pattern suit, with a gold chain dangling out of his pocket. His irises were glowing red with sharp pupils, and blond hair tied into a tight ponytail.

“We are _quite_ short on time, that little bitch won’t stay down- even for a minute.” The man grumbled, “So here’s the deal- I can get _rid_ of that _pesky_ contract you currently have because of the _very_ smart man, Vongola Primo…” He tilted his head sideways, smiling with his eyes closed and hands clapped together.

“Wouldn’t breaking a contract a one-way ticket to the Labyrinth?” Tsuna questioned, eyes narrowing. Warning bells were ringing in his head even before the man appeared, so why should he trust him, “I don’t even know your name.” So why should he be trusted?

“Oh don’t be a fickle over small details- my name is Arthur, but many people knows me as **Joker**.” Arthur replied. He raised his hand, “As the one of the two **Joker** , I can _nullify_ any contract- no matter how long or short. So what I am trying to say here, is that, I can get rid of that intuition of yours~!”

“O-oh really?” Tsuna asked, “What’s the catch?” He shifted his footing to a battle-ready stance. It wasn’t exactly a secret that Tsuna had two contracts in the Contractor’s society, Heck, there are some with _three_ chains under their command. But of course, it’s the _type_ of Chain that made all the difference. Gate Keepers are the wild cards, you want them on _your_ side- not your enemy’s, but the Gate keepers never had a contractors, so they were known as ‘Invalids’.

“Oh the _catch_?” His smile twisted into a large grin, “Oh that’s easy- **Go back into the Labyrinth, and this time- _stay there_**.” Silence enveloped the space. Tsuna stared wide-eyed, he couldn’t move nor could he properly think.

“N-no! Why does the Labyrinth wants me _?_ ” The last word came out as a whisper. He never went inside the Labyrinth, so why… _back_? Arthur stared at me, his eyes widen and his irises were small, his grin was still plastered on his face. With a slight clap and his neck twitched upright, the words began spilling out.

“Oh you are just so cu~ute! Thinking you’re innocent of anything-,”

“I never said that.”

“Oh- you didn’t, but your heart did, trying to think you’re so innocent- HAH! Fat chance, boy. Your hands are bloodier than the Mafia’s combined.” He sneered out, stepping closer as he spat out each hatred-filled word. As Arthur stood in front of him, he yanked his hair, pulling back so Tsuna would look up at him,

“Boy, I gave you a choice- and you dismissed it like it was nothing. So I do hope you lived a happy life because the Labyrinth wants you, their _last_ _prisoner_ , back.”

Tsuna screamed as the scenery began to swirl and melt into darkness, glowing red outlines of eyes were visible around him- staring at him, waiting for him to make a mistake. Heated glares were filled with accusation and hatred.

“S-stop IT!” Tsuna screamed, clutching his head as they began to vocalize the accusations.

 _Monster_ \- **Monster** \- **_MONSTER_**!

Unwanted memories began to tear at his mind, each bring a painful mental stab. The images weren’t stable, it flickered and glowed in unnatural hues of colors- some were zoomed all the way in, seeing the minuscule details, and others were zoomed out, like a movie.

_A shattered vase on a carpeted floor- Children staring at him in fear- Blood._

“Hatter… h-help…!” He pleaded into the darkness, and was responded by a chuckle.

“The Mad Hatter can’t help you boy, he can’t reach you in this realm…” Heels clicked slowly toward him, and abruptly, his head twisted upwards. Tsuna cracked open his eyes, painfully, but his vision was blurred.

“This is my _domain_ , and you’re just a _beautifully_ _broken_ _doll._ ”

The sound of a grandfather clock rung and echoed, and the grip on his head was released.

“Enjoy the last taste of freedom, Sawada Tsunayoshi.”

* * *

 

Tsuna gasped for air as he nearly sprang out of his covers. His shirt was sticking to him from sweat, his eyes were unfocused and the sunlight was too bright in his darken room. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down, his hands were ice cold and shaking uncontrollably. The serene sounds of the early weekend morning slowly calmed his nerves. He slowly tested his eyes, the blurriness was slowly fading away. He quickly glanced around, searching for the rabbit.

“Hatter…!” He yelled under his breath, trying not to disturb the rest of the house occupants. A slight ruffling sound came from underneath the covers, and a few seconds later, a rabbit’s head popped out- irritation pouring out of its fur.

“What?!” Annoyance laced his words, “It’s too damn early for anything. Go back to sleep or do something that’s noise-less.” The rabbit stated as it went back inside the covers, mumbling something about contractors and idiots.

“ _Sorry_.” He answered, “But Hatter, I have a question.” ‘More like need confirmation.’ Hatter popped his head out again, and the aura was almost suffocating.

“What, Tsuna? This better be a _very important question_ or you will find your training suddenly _tripling._ ” He threatened.

“E-erm…” Tsuna gulped, trying not to stutter, “Was it all a dream?” he quickly blurted out, head quickly turned away, trying to avoid looking at the black ball of fur all together.

“…” silence, and then an irritated voice broke it, “ _What_ was all a dream?”

“Going to school, coming home, and suddenly having a vision.” Silence resumed again, but instead of Hatter yelling, he sighed.

“No it wasn’t. That was yesterday, I highly doubt you even remember but... I had to drag you into your room. You fainted right in the middle of the corridor.” Hatter jumped onto his lap, wiggling into a comfortable position. Tsuna blushed from embarrassment and the close contact, but it quickly disappeared when another question popped into mind.

“What about…Natsu and Giotto?” Hatter froze, his fur was standing up as if he was being threatened.

“Those two? I was so sure that they would hear a _body_ dropping, but they confirmed my suspicion of being _deaf._ They didn’t even check on you, let alone, come up the stairs. I had half a mind to go downstairs, weapon in hand, and whack everybody in the head.” Tsuna’s grip on the sheets tightened. ‘Of course, it was just a dream… a bittersweet dream.’

Hatter noticed his charge’s expression, hurt and resentment, and sighed. “Oi, brat.” Tsuna looked up, or rather, down at him questioningly.

“Yeah?”

“It seems the _Swords_ and _Clubs_ found a lead, just outside of Namimori.” He informed as his body started to glow and transformed into a slim muscular young male with ebony wavy hair and blood-red irises, symbolizing himself as a Chain. Of course, he was naked. Tsuna quickly covered his eyes and flushed red out of embarrassment for the _man_.

“HI-IIE! Put some clothes on…!” He screeched, trying to bury his face into his mattress.

The taller and older male in the room smirked at his charge’s reaction, seeing that they were both males. “You act like you have never seen a male body before.” He teased Tsuna, grabbing his clothes, which was hidden inside Tsuna’s already messy closet, putting on a normal black shirt and jeans, and tying his hair up with a red ribbon.

“There, better, _Tsu_ - _chan_?” Tsuna peeked, and saw that it was safe, he got up- face still red.

“Shut up.” He dust himself off, and grabbed his black-orange messenger bag from underneath the desk. Opening a drawer, he pulled out six leather folders with worn-down pages from excessive reading. Hatter leaned against the wall observing the contractor, watching his face go through different emotions, and mentally sighed. Walking up to Tsuna, he quickly ruffled the short boy’s mane of soft brown spikes.

“ACK-! Hatter!” Tsuna glared at him, “What did you do that for?!”

“You were over thinking, and don’t bring those files.” Hatter turned to the window, cracking it open and the once-muffled street sounds were now clear and loud.

“Why not?”

Hatter turned to face him, “Because, we’re going to a **war-zone** , not some alliance meeting that your _family_ was having yesterday.” Tsuna hesitated and nodded, placing the folders back into the drawer, his hand lingering there for a minute.

“Hatter.” He turned to him, “C-can I escape a Contract alive?” Hatter turned, facing out the window.

“That is the most idiotic question I had ever heard.” His hands clenched by his side, “Of course not, all contracts lead to the contractor’s death, one way or another. Whoever put that idea in your head doesn’t know a _thing_ about contracts.” His eyes widen as Hatter jumped out of the window. Rushing to the sill, he quickly glanced down just as the Gate Keeper landed gracefully onto the yard. Tsuna sighed as Hatter signaled for him to jump. Shaking his head, he decided to take the more human-safe way, out the front door.

Grabbing his things, and sparing a glance at the drawer, he quickly walked out of his room, closing the door behind him. Silently walking down the small corridor, he could hear soft snoring, bed creaking and rustling, and mumbling from the different rooms. His socks muffled his loud footsteps, though he was pretty sure everybody was awake.

He managed to reached the front door without a hassle, and as he reached for the knob, a voice questioned from behind-

“Where are you going, Natsu-kun?” A mature feminine voice asked with concern from the base of the staircase. He looked back and came face to face with the person he tried to avoid the most-

“Oh it’s you, Tsuna…” The voice dropped the concern mask and showing its true self to the speaker and listener.

“K-Kaa-san…” He stuttered out as he looked away from Nana’s stare.

“Don’t force yourself Tsuna, nobody’s awake.” Nana replied coldly. Tsuna gripped his shirt, and smiled almost painfully.

“Hai, Nana-san.”

Neither of them knew what caused the rift, and what caused the ‘official’ break from the mother-son relationship. All both of them knew was after Tsuna came back to from the camping trip, their familial bond changed, for the worse. Nana was practically a stranger to Tsuna, and Tsuna… was just a mistake to Nana. But they pretended to be a fine, happy family for Iemitsu, Giotto, and Natsu. Because they didn’t need to know how detached the family really was. This was all part of an elaborate play by Tsuna and Nana.

“I’m going out, don’t wait up.” A formal bow and the front door opening and closing, leaving an unemotional mother at its wake.

“We won’t.”

The early morning sun was blaring happily down at the two figure, walking down a silent street leading to the outskirt of Namimori.

“Hatter, how much _longer_?” The young male, in an orange-white hoodie and long jeans, asked. He looked up to the taller one and he looked perfectly fine, as if this was a normal, cool day in Japan.

“How are you _not_ sweating?” Tsuna questioned. Hatter looked down questionably, and shrug, “Chains can’t feel external temperature, the only temperature we could feel is our own.” He replied, still walking.

“We’ll be arriving right…” Hatter took a sharp turn into the woods, and he followed him quickly. They headed deeper and deeper into the woods, which blocked out a good portion of sunlight, both bad and good for Tsuna. “…Now.” He abruptly stopped at the opening of a cave. The cave was like any other cave- on a mountain, grey, large opening, and grey.  The difference was that there were strange, rune-like symbols carved on around the opening and slightly glowing.

“All right, where are those two idiots gone to?” Hatter muttered, scratching his head and mumbling about needing a smoke. Tsuna sighed and thought, ‘He needs to stop following G around.’

A bush rustled and out came a purple-haired girl and blue-haired boy with similar- almost identical appearances.

“Swords and Clubs, glad _both_ of you made it this time.” Hatter stated, glaring at the boy, Swords.

“Hey rabbit, stop calling me Swords, this isn’t Italy.” Swords sneered, his hands crossed. Hatter glared back harder, and a smirk tugging on his lips.

“Akira, ignore Hatter please.” Tsuna said, stepping in and stopping their glaring contest. “Akane, it’s nice to see you outside of uniform.” He smiled at both of them.

“It’s nice to see you too, Tsu-chan, and Lengard.” She looked at Hatter almost seductively. Tsuna shivered and moved away from Hatter, but he was quicker, grabbing onto Tsuna’s collar with a power-induced grip, there was no escaping, for both of them.

“It’s nice to see you too, crybaby.” Akira said, grabbing ahold of his twin from jumping Hatter. Tsuna pouted in replied.

“I’m not a crybaby!”

Hatter stepped in, deliberately stopping it before it gets out of hand, again.

“Information.” As if a switch was press, the atmosphere changed from a fun to a dark and vanishing one.

Akira spoke up first, “We were doing a recon because of the **Protocol** **A-10** , finding if there’s loose ends that needed to be tied up from the incident.”

“Was there?” Hatter questioned. Akira shook his head, “Negative for any sign.” Hatter nodded for him to go on, and Akane took over.

“Then when we got into the inner part of the entrance, something weird happened,” she looked at Akira who nodded, and looked back, “our Chains…started to react to cave.”

“React?” Tsuna asked. It was rare- unheard of- for Chains to react to something in the real world. Chains only react if it has something to do with the Labyrinth, like a gateway or doorway or just another loose end from the Labyrinth.

“Yeah, violently. Akira had to seal my Chains because…” she took a deep breath, “They nearly killed me.” Tsuna looked at her in horror, and switched his gaze to Akira for confirmation, which was given by the sullen look on his face.

Tsuna sighed, “Alright, I’ll check it out. Hatter, you stay here with Akira and Akane.”

Hatter began to protest, but Tsuna stopped him, “You heard what happened to Akane’s Chain. Did you forget that you’re a Chain also? Akane’s Chain is also a Gate Keeper, so just because you’re ‘strong’, doesn’t make you invincible.” Akira began to stand up, but Tsuna also stopped him, “Akira, you also have a Gate Keeper chain in you, so don’t even think of coming in with me.”

Tsuna then smiled, “It’s just a recon, and nothing is going to go wrong.” But it didn’t help the anxiety building in the pit of their stomachs.

The cave was dark, almost too dark for a normal cave. The smell was horrible, unbearable even if he wasn’t so used to the smell of decaying bodies. It’s quite humid in the cave, it was almost like a thick, warm, wet blanket covering the air. Tsuna coughed into his elbow, clearing his lungs, but as he gets farther in, the air grew denser and denser becoming suffocating. Tsuna coughed into his elbow again, as he reached to the lowest level of the cave, where light was present.

“That’s strange… why is there light there?” He slowly walked into the light, and almost fell over in surprised. It was a miniature garden, with different types and color plants just growing without human intervention. In the middle was a large beautiful tree with golden leaves. As Tsuna got closer, the golden leaves became golden Sakura flowers.

“Golden Sakura flowers…? Is that even natural? And this is a strange place to grow a Sakura tree to begin with.” He looked down and saw seven head stones making a circle around the tree, each headstone had a different color jewel, which was dull by nature and age. The markings on the headstones disappeared through time. As he got to the orange jewel headstone, a sense of nostalgia hit him.

It was almost like… he knew who it was. Tsuna chuckled and muttered to himself, “But it can’t be possible.” Because… this headstone is probably over four-hundred years old.

So… there’s no way, right?

A creaking sound sounded behind him, Tsuna looked back, the opening into the cave disappeared and replaced by a cave wall. His intuition flared up into the danger zone, telling him that he need to get out of there, now. He ran up to the place where the opening once was, slamming his hands against it, trying to find a way out. As his time being trapped in became longer and longer, his long-lost claustrophobia began to show itself.  He felt his heart beating faster, and faster and the only thing that’s ringing and repeating in his mind was

‘I need to get out!’

As he lost track of time, he began to lose consciousness from lack of oxygen, a girl’s echo reached his ears-

_You’re finally here... and you can’t get out anymore._

A ripped rabbit plush dropped in his line of vision,

A scream ripped through the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews and Critics are very much welcome


	5. Chain IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: KHR-Do not own, Plot-I do. 
> 
> Inspired by: Pandora Hearts, Deadman Wonderland, Psycho Pass

**Chapter IV  
**

**‹ ›**

“Hey, Tsuna… What is a _sky_?” A white-haired boy asked the brunet child in the corner, cowering and aching from the recent beatings. He looked up with dull brown eyes, eyes that no child should have. Light filtered in from thin cracks formed on the aged cement walls like vines, illuminated the particles in the room like fireflies. The white-haired boy, Shiro, crawled toward him, chains jingling and clanging on the equally cemented floor. He couldn’t help but shiver from the sound of metal scratching metal.

Tsuna closed his eyes in fear at the too familiar sound. He tried to cover his ears with his hands but the chains attached to his shackled wrists were an inch too short. The metallic scratching sound slowly got louder and louder, and then stopped. Warmth from a living body pressed against his side, the scent of fresh linen from Shiro slowly calmed his nerves. He felt himself getting lost in the scent, remembering the distant memory of golden haired brother, a twin brother, a strong and loving father, and a kind mother.

**»**

The scene was beautiful- they were all gathered in the backyard, it was summer, probably around noon or afternoon. He sat on a patch of cool grass, back against the oak tree trunk, the leaves and branches sheltering him from the sweltering summer heat. Nana, in a pink tee and gray capris, were putting up freshly washed white sheets. The scent mixed with garden flowers made the scene more heavenly, as if that’s possible. Giotto was with his friends were playing cops-and-robbers. Natsu was helping Iemitsu, who had his boss over, with something on the porch. Tsuna felt himself getting tired from the heat, his visions started to turn dark.

“Tsuna! What are you doing?” A warm voice broke through the darkness, and he snapped back into reality. In front of him stood Nana staring at him with sheet folded on her arm. As he tried to glance at her face, he quickly shut his eyes. He couldn’t look at her face, his eyes and head wouldn’t let him. He felt suffocated from her presence, he felt precipitation forming on his forehead.

What was going on?

His vision suddenly blurred and glitch, like a computer screen. It turned white for what seems a few seconds, and turned back to normal. But something was wrong. The sky seemed as the saturation has increased making it from a beautiful azure blue to a bright cyan color. He frantically glanced around, but it seemed only the sky changed.

“Tsuna…?” She crouched down, Tsuna tried to glance at her face again but it was impossible. A slight rustling and a pair of gentle hands forced his head toward her direction.

“Is something wrong?” she asked with concern. The grass suddenly a few hue brighter, making his stomach churn.

“N-nothing is wrong-,” Tsuna paused. The precipitation rolled down one by one, faster and faster. His breathing becoming erratic, the suffocating feeling were becoming more and more evident as he breathed.

That wasn’t his concern at all- his concern was-

He could not remember who she was.

“A-ah…” His lower lip trembled, who was she? Why couldn’t he remember? As he tried to remember, all it drew up was a blank white slate. His vision as he forced himself to look neck up. His vision cleared, and he screamed.

Her face was gone, it was a flat blank slate. He looked around, he was surrounded by the entire…family? He couldn’t remember. The tall-blonde man grabbed a hold of the golden-haired boy and the brunet and walked away, disappearing into particles. The woman took his hand and led him astray to a black van, his body slowly followed her command and got in the van. The door closed and scene ended.

“Tsuna?” A distant voice called. Who exactly was calling? Is it those people from my dream, or is it from reality? His vision shook, someone was shaking him. He opened his eyes, staring straight into a pair of ruby-eyes and choppy white fringes. He felt himself staring, remembering that this is what human faces looked like. Not a blank slate.

“What, Shiro?” His voice was hoarse from being a voluntarily mute. Shiro smiled and clapped his hands, chains jingling at his movement. Tsuna silently glared at them, his patience was really short today, he noted, probably from the experiments _they_ did.

“Aw, Tsuna is being cold to Shiro…!” He said sweetly, pouting and eyes watering. Tsuna looked back at the ceiling, ignoring the boy next to him. He knew he shouldn’t be this mean to him, but that dream was bothering him.

“And I thought you died, you idiot.” The façade dropped, and the real Shiro revealed. Tsuna got up slowly, the shackles’ edges dug deep into his skin as he moved, causing the some skin to break. Shiro tsk-ed beside him, suddenly, the chains were cleanly sliced into two.

“You should use those powers, Tsuna, or it might just _disappear…_!” He whispered, giggling, “C’mon, it’s your turn to entertain the crowd…” he looked at the brunet, his red eyes gleaming maliciously into the dull brown.

His voice echoed,

“Isn’t it, March Hare?”

And the crowd’s applauses rang in the air.

Tsuna gasped awake, taking in a lungful of aromatic smoke. Coughing from the scented fume, he covered his nose and mouth. His lungs hurt and burned, but it subsided eventually. He peeked through his eyelids, and he dropped his arm in surprised.

He wasn’t in the cave anymore, it was a room, circular with an arched ceiling. The ceiling was covered in a painting of cherubs and angels in the painted sky. A single diamond chandelier hung still from the highest point. The walls were covered with bookshelves, and the parts that weren’t covered was frosted French-styled windows and grandfather clocks with stilled pendulums. Some of the bookshelves had hardcovers, yet others, were display shelves with porcelain dolls and roughly patched stuff animals sitting.  

He stood up, curiosity got the best of him. He walked to one of bookshelf, reading the spines of the neatly-placed books- some he knew, like the famous William Shakespeare and Edgar A. Poe. He ran his fingers gently across the spines, feeling like Déjà vu. He paused at a book, black with gold designs. _Crime and Punishment._ He eyes narrowed, something did not broad well with him and that book, but he doesn’t know _why_. He never read any of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s works, even though he wanted to- but he hated translated books.

“Ah, Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s _Crime and Punishment_.” A voice stated, he quickly turned around and coming face to face with a girl in his age but in a large red-black ruffled Victorian gown. She had on a gold necklace, and she held a gold pocket-watch. She took a few steps forward, and on instinct, he stepped back.

“What’s wrong, _March_ _Hare_?” She asked, her smiling growing. Tsuna took another step back, he felt cold shivers when she said _that_ name.

“H-how did-,” In a blink of an eye, she was in front of him, a sword thrust next to him. Wood splintering off from the bookshelf from the sheer force and speed of it.

“Have you forgotten?” Her head twitched upwards, her irises’ colors were spinning wildly, changing from violet to ruby-red, “You are my…” she lowered her lips, next to my ear, “PREY.” She spat out.

In a second, she sliced through a row of books. Tsuna quickly ducked and rolled behind his attacker, his right hand reached outwards.

‘Hatter!’ he called for him. She turned, and her movement was almost puppet-like. Her head was lowered, and her shoulders started to shake.  She threw her head back, laughing like a maniac and then stopped. He felt his gut churn. He knew this feeling, something bad was about to happen.  

The girl disappeared and reappeared in front of him. His eyes widen in surprised. She swung the sword, leaving a gleaming trail behind. Her eyes were glowing merciless at him. Tsuna blocked the swing with a book, and tacked her. It was obvious that she did not know how to fight. Her body disappeared in a puff of smoke. An illusion…? No… the feeling of déjà vu hit again.

_It’s starting…_ The downward swing appeared from behind, Tsuna swore internally when it nicked his shoulder. He grabbed the first available weapon, a metal guard saber, from the side and got in position. He watched his attacker swiftly made her way towards him. She brought down a foreswing, he dodged and delivered a horizontal one aiming at her stomach. She pivoted backwards and advanced with two quick jabs, he dodged the first and met the second with his saber. Metal on metal rang in his ear like a long lost melody.

“Your skills…” Her body disappeared, and he staggered a bit. “…has diminished.” She said from behind. He tch-ed and rolled away. The sword went into the ground like butter.

Tsuna gulped, she was really aiming for the kill. Standing in position, his left behind his back and his right in front, with the saber tightly gripped. He gulped, he barely could wield his scythe without Hatter’s help, so how do he think he could wield a saber?

“I’ll show you, how to _effectively_ use a saber, March Hare.” Her eyes dull, and her sword turned into a saber. What…? She got close again and quick stabs coated with Rain Flames were aimed.  He swiftly block them all, but one missed. Her smiled widen. His eyes widen. It sliced through his sleeve’s fabric, barely missing the flesh. He staggered back, back hitting a bookshelf.

He noticed the large difference between him and the girl. He was already panting and sweating, while she was standing still. That’s not possible, so why does he feel so tired.

“Oh, you finally noticed? The poison flowing through you?” When? “The aroma is made specifically for _things like you_.” She sneered, and the conviction scared him, scared Tsuna. He felt himself free-falling into darkness again. His vision blurred as the girl tread closer. The ground tremor from the steps. He slowly closed his eyelids, waiting for the end.

“You deserved what you get, March Hare. Remember that.”

Save me.

_Oh, I have no intention of dying, Sawada Tsunayoshi._

**»**

The rapid succession of footsteps echoed through the cave. It’s been past the deadline by a few hours. Tsuna still haven’t come out yet. They were tired of waiting- a flutter of silky strands of purple hair, the slight glow of blue, and a radiant glow of red eyes, proceeded deeper and deeper.

“Are you sure we’re going the right way, Akane?” Akira asked, his Katana- courtesy of his Chain- tightly gripped in his grasp. The darkness seemed to envelop the group more and more as they got closer.

But there was no Chain reactions.

“Are you sure this is even the right cave? Because I don’t feel anything.”  Hatter asked. There was no reaction from himself at all. Either she was lying or something is blocking it. He looked at Akane, who looked pale from worry, and glanced forward. The darkness and humidity seemed to be raising, judging from the heavy breathing of the two contractors next to him. His stomach churned with worry, how did Tsuna survived this?

“Wh- What?” Akira exclaimed. Hatter twitched, he had no patience for games.

“What, _Sword_?” He asked the boy.

“It’s a dead end.”

And he was correct. It was a dead end- a solid, rocky dead end. The Chain felt his patience shorten more. How is that even possible? He placed his hand flat on the wall, trying to find any flames, or Chain involvement in this problem. A few seconds, and he took his hand off. A wayward Chain was the cause from tell-tale smell of rotten eggs and burnt flesh mixed with a summery scent behind the wall. Oh how he _hated_ that smell, brought back _many_ unwanted memories. He shook his head, this isn’t the time to reminisce- there’s his idiot of a contractor trapped inside.

“Stand back.” He ordered the two as he also took a few steps back, gaining distance.

The two sibling contractors blinked at the command, staring owlish at the Gate Keeper. A sudden glow appeared hovering on his palm, and quickly forming into a life-size scythe. The scythe was orange and silver, with beautiful floral spirals on the blade and handles for details. Long silver chains wrapped around it like snake coiling, and a shackle was formed right below where the blade met the handle. A beautiful gold diamond, formed by intricate spirals, on the blade’s base.

The siblings looked at it in awe, because Tsuna never used this in front of their eyes. Awe turned into horror when it finally registered to them that they might not make it out alive.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU STUPID HATTER?!” Akira demanded as he watched Hatter getting ready to slice the cave walls into bits. Hatter paused and look straight into his eyes with his own dull eyes.

“I’m going to break the cave wall, _stupid Sword_.” Hatter replied nonchalantly, as he raised the scythe again. The smell was almost unbearable, even to his level. The blade began to glow a bright golden orange, and his irises began to glow. Before he could move a muscle, someone stopped him.

“Are you _insane?_ ” Akira questioned, grabbing ahold of one of the dark-haired male’s arm, and hissed, “You will cause the cave to collapse!”

“No it won’t.” The Chain countered.

“Yes it will.” He quickly rebutted, “Caves in this world is not like caves in the Labyrinth- hold on, does the Labyrinth _even_ have caves to begin with?” He shook his head.

“Akira… and H-Hatter, maybe we should calm down…” Akane piped in as she watched her brother and Hatter glowered at each other. She stood up and stopped, shock written on her face. She gasped as she felt cold metal wrapping rapidly around her ankles. She trembled, slowly looking down. Chains glowing purple wrapped around her ankles, and slowly making their way up her legs.

“S-someone…” she whimpered, “help… please…”

Akira glanced at his sister, his eyes widen in surprised. His mind went numb, he felt someone- some _thing_ taking control of his body. His body temperature was rising, and he watched as his sister stared in horror. His vision blurred and twitched as if he was staring at a screen. The colors of the cave began to change- tiny spheres of light began to form around, but they weren’t lighting the cave at all.

“A…kira…?” He looked up involuntarily, holding his shoulders was Akane. But how did she get out of the Chains?

“Akane… How did you-?” He voiced out, but a scream shattered his question. Akane just grinned at him, the light spheres began to spiral around Akane like fireflies.

“What…?”

“Akira…” She closed her eyes slowly, “…It wasn’t your fault.” What are you saying?

The light disappeared along with Akane. He was back in the cave, but the metallic smell of copper was floating in the air. Akira coughed into his hand, he could practically taste it. He paused in shock, slowly removing his hands from his face. His hands had a slight sticky wet substance. He began to tremble. The substance felt too familiar, too disgusting on his hand. He knew what the substance was when he first felt it, it was not possible. Chains don’t bleed… but humans do.

Was it his? Or was it someone else’s? Whose blood was it?

“Sword, _Don’t look up._ ” He heard someone shout, but he ignored it and looked up instead. His vision trembled. Why did he not listen to that person? Why did he looked up? Blood dripped down from the fingertips, cuts were visible all over the body. The same chains were wrapped around her body, her arms were bent in an unnatural form. He stopped at the neck, he felt bile rising. He choked out a sob, he was used to this. Used to people leaving him behind.

“A…ka…ne…”

She hanged there, chains were the noose. Blood dripped out from her eyes, nose, and mouth. Stab marks all over her chest. He felt his energy leaving as she dangled like a broken doll they used to play at _that_ place.

“ _AKANE_!”

_A desperate attempt from someone who knew._

_You should’ve known._

**«**

Tsuna watched as the battered girl crawled toward him in one last attempt. She already lost. Blood was dripping out of her mouth, eyes, and ears. Even though they both had equal amount of injuries, hers was fatal. He looked at the discarded saber on the floor, just a foot away. Blood was dripping from the blade onto the floor, forming a miniscule puddle.

“Ma-r-ch H-Ha-re…” She reached towards him, but he stared lifelessly back. She should’ve known better. The coppery smell gave him peace, if it bleeds then it will die. She looked at him with the same pitiful and accusing eyes, just like all of them.

“Yo-u wi-ll be-e _put back_ -,” He grabbed the saber, and ended her life there.

The illusion broke into millions of glass, revealing the cave where he once was. The broken and ripped stuffed animal laid in front of him, looking at him through its beady eyes. He chuckled slowly, his eyes, red as blood, turned back into the warm brown.

“Stop looking at me like that.” The cave’s wall destroyed itself into tiny pieces of pebbles. He watched, smiling to himself, hearing the rapid succession of footsteps towards him. Rushing in was the three- Hatter, Akira, and Akane.

“You took too long.” Hatter said, slightly panting from the running. Tsuna scratched his head, grinning.

“Sorry,” his grin turned into a smile, “Let’s head back now.”

**»**

“Akira, is something wrong?” Tsuna asked the older male as they were walking back into Namimori. The sun has already set, and dusk was just settling in, making a beautiful orange-purple-red sky. The streetlights flickered on with a buzzing sound as they passed it. Apartments’ and houses’ windows began to give a golden glow. A stray black cat crossed their path, but they ignored it.

“What do you mean?” Akira questioned, he put his hands behind his head, lacing his fingers together.

“You were staring at Akane the entire time.” Tsuna pointed out, “I mean- Incest is looked down upon society, and I think it’s illegal…”

Akira made a choking sound, Hatter and Akane- who were walking in front- looked back at them, eyebrow raised. Akira waved it off as nothing.

“It’s not that, crybaby…!” Akira said, “It’s just…” He took a deep breath, “Something happened in the cave. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh. Okay…” Tsuna pursed his lips, and they continued on with silence through the empty streets of Namimori.

A silent dark shadow observed the two’s movement, and their flames, that was slowly dwindling away. The figure smirked under its hood, a hand reaching towards the brunet’s head. As it was in its grasp through perspective, the figure squeezed its hand.

“ _I love those who do not know how to live for today_.”

**_Friedrich Nietzsche_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Author enjoys reviews.
> 
> AN: I am not dead. I was actually waiting for Psycho-Pass to end, so I can stop being distracted. Wow, I actually had TEN versions of this chapter swimming around, so yeah. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Any questions, I will answer through PM or if I can’t get in contact with you, it will be answer in the next chapter. Thank you and good night or good morning or good afternoon.
> 
> Yes, I have changed my pen name from Orekirito to Psychometric.
> 
> ›PSYCHOMETRIC


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